WATER SUPPLY /
WASTE WATER TREATMENT

The rate of water abstraction from the Gaza aquifer is nearly four times the sustainable yield of 55 MCM/annum. The aquifer is highly polluted because of seawater intrusion and contamination from untreated wastewater, with only 4% considered suitable for human consumption. Wastewater collection and processing  infrastructure is severely deficient; even before October 2023 only 60% of households were connected to the sewage network, and around 90 million liters of partially treated sewage were discharged into the Mediterranean Sea each day.

PALESTINE EMERGING supports initiatives to secure sustainable long term water supply for Gaza, sufficient to meet total water demand of approximately 260 MCM/year by 2050. 

The Gaza/West Bank Link will connect utility networks in Gaza and the West Bank. Solutions will include a centralized regional-scale desalination plant (delivering 250 MCM/year) to supplement groundwater supply and position Gaza as a net exporter of water. Short-term water treatment efforts will focus on repairing existing plants in Khan Yunis, Deir Al Balah and Gaza City. 

Coordinated water management will improve the efficiency of water and waste water networks. All treatment plants will be capable of producing tertiary-quality recycled water (suitable for agriculture). Educational campaigns and local enforcement will help shut down illegal wells and boost the adoption of recycled greywater for irrigation.

DIGITAL NETWORKS

PALESTINE EMERGING understands that digital networks are fundamental for integrating Gaza and the West Bank into global markets and achieving the necessary sectoral shifts to improve their economies. Digitized industries increasingly rely on internet connectivity, big data, 5G, and artificial intelligence to increase capital and labor productivity and obtain goods and services at lower prices, thus contributing to economic growth. 

After decades of relative technological stagnation, strategic digital networks will enable Palestine
to ‘leapfrog’ certain levels of development, similar to the way China bypassed the slow implementation of local landline communications and transitioned directly to mobile technology, or some African metropolitan areas moved beyond traditional energy networks to smart off-grid energy.  

Palestine currently does not control its own ICT infrastructure. Palestinians in the West Bank are only able to use 3G mobile services, while those in Gaza only get 2G – these are considerably slower than global standards and are more vulnerable to security attacks due to weaker encryption. Israel is upgrading from 4G to 5G. Palestinian cellular communication companies have lost up to $2B/year in potential revenue due to restrictions on frequencies and equipment alongside unauthorized competition from Israeli operators.

Digital connectivity is lifesaving. During initial periods of reconstruction, trained personnel
and medical equipment will be in critically short supply. Reliable high-speed digital bandwidth
will allow patients to access tele-health systems and link to regional and international doctors, specialists and diagnostic services to help make up deficits in local health resources. In the short term, extensive WiFi for temporary camps and housing will support stabilization efforts and increase earning potential for related populations.  

In the medium term, connectivity hubs will leverage available fiber broadband connections, bringing connectivity to critical community infrastructure like hospitals, clinics, and schools – the core of redeveloping communities. 

Digital capacities will expand to include 5G towers and mesh networks. Connectivity hubs will be replicated across Gaza and the West Bank, extending broadband coverage to commercial and personal domains.

GAMECHANGER 

WATER INDEPENDENCE

Access to water is a foundational need. For the region in general and Gaza in particular, water and power are inextricably related. Gaza will need to produce desalinated water for its own requirements and to reduce pressure on its aquifer. To do so will require energy.  

Investment in centralized desalination will help Palestine achieve water and energy independence in the long run. Parallel efforts include the repair and construction of other smaller desalination plants (e.g., in Gaza City and in Rafah) as well as initiatives to increase electricity supply.

In the long term, Gaza can arbitrage the relative values of water and power to achieve comparative advantages. The relatively low renewable energy prices in Jordan (where availability of land is high) will allow Palestine to import energy at a discount.  In exchange, Gaza can supply treated water from its expanded desalination plants to Jordan, where water prices are high due to shortages. Water supply will help Jordan preserve its natural systems and accelerate peacemaking efforts in the region.

LONG TERM

Once Palestine can more than meet its own needs, it can arbitrage the relative values of water and power to achieve comparative advantages relative to the region, and develop an export-related commodity.

GAMECHANGER 

5G NETWORK

5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks, which cellular phone companies began deploying worldwide in 2019.  5G allows for the convergence of multiple legacy networking functions to achieve cost, power, and complexity reductions. For Gaza in particular, this will be a ‘leapfrog’ upgrade from its legacy 2G systems.

In the short to medium term, Gaza in particular will depend on resources that will be absent from the immediate area.  Interim housing and emergency camps will have very high concentrations of people in need of digital connectivity. Healthcare systems will lack trained professionals and diagnostic technology. Education, especially higher-level institutions, will need to function in virtual/remote settings.

Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) uses 5G as a progression from 4G LTE mobile broadband services, with faster connections, higher throughput, and more capacity. This will benefit areas of higher traffic, including urban areas in general, and special locations such as hospitals and schools.

Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) are the basis for mission-critical applications that require uninterrupted and robust data exchange. This will benefit activities like remote surgical operations. 

Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC) are particularly useful to support large concentrations of civilian drones and IoT devices, aiding in disaster recovery efforts, and providing real-time data for emergency responders. Autonomous vehicles will also benefit from 5G technology. 

APPLICATION FOR GAZA/WEST BANK

Gaza’s relatively flat terrain allows for 5G towers spaced approximately 1.6-5Km apart, a total of 100-150 towers communicating with each other. In addition, tower placements and additional software will support a mesh network that maintains local and regional connectivity if/when international connectivity is interrupted.

5G towers are linked to centralized data transmission hubs, connected by high-capacity fiber which is in turn linked to broader networks (e.g. Egypt and Jordan). Alternatively, high-capacity microwave can transmit over 20-30 km with line-of-sight. This is a more expensive solution but offers connectivity without physical transit across an Israeli border.